UEFA reject Real Madrid and Barcelona protests

02 May 2011 04:30

Viewed : 120

UEFA have rejected both protests lodged by Real Madrid and the complaint made by Barcelona following last Wednesday's ill-tempered Champions League semi-final first leg at the Bernabeu.

Madrid announced last Thursday evening that they were reporting the Spanish champions to UEFA for "unsportsmanlike behaviour" - soon after Barca confirmed they were reporting the capital club's coach Jose Mourinho for his post-match comments following the visitors' 2-0 win.

A UEFA statement read: "UEFA has announced that the vice-chairman of the UEFA control and disciplinary body, as a judge sitting alone, has rejected both the protests lodged by Real Madrid CF and the complaint made by FC Barcelona following the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg between the two clubs last Wednesday."

UEFA's disciplinary committee will on Friday examine five charges against Madrid - including one relating to Mourinho's sending-off and another in regard to his post-match comments - and one charge against Barca following substitute goalkeeper Jose Pinto's red card during a half-time melee.

However, European football's governing body on Monday announced that no new charges will be levelled at either club.

The statement continued: "The protests lodged by Madrid, against the behaviour of the Barcelona players during the match and against the red card shown to Pepe, are rejected.

"In the case of the behaviour of the Barcelona players, it was deemed that there was no common strategy to provoke, while in the case of Pepe, the referee's factual decision is upheld. As a result, Pepe is suspended for the second leg on Tuesday."

Mourinho, who was sent off after protesting against the red card shown to Madrid defender Pepe midway through the second half, said after the match: "It's clear that against Barcelona you have no chance.

"I don't understand why. I don't know if it's the publicity of UNICEF [the club's shirt sponsor], I don't know if it's the friendship of [Spanish football federation president Angel Maria] Villar at UEFA, where he is vice-president, I don't know if it's because they are very nice, but they have got this power. The rest of us have no chance.

"[Barca coach Pep] Guardiola is a fantastic coach, but he has won one Champions League which I would be ashamed to win after the scandal at Stamford Bridge and this year, if he wins it again, it will be after the scandal at the Bernabeu."